Volume 2, Issue 7 Trinity II 2009
In this issue...
•
•
Archbishop Kleppinger’s Letter
God is our Compass - Camp Story
• Around HCCAR
• The Spirituality Solution
• Little People Can Do Big Things Too
• Glastonbury - Travelogue
• Teen Scene - Faith Story of Lauren Betts
• Fired up For the Lord - Ministry of Fr. Carbajal
• Evangelism
• A Nazarene’s Journey to Anglicanism
• What a Priest as Chaplain Can Do
Cover Photo: Glastonbury Abbey ruins, Glastonbury,
England by Holly Michael
Editor’s pick:
Technology for His service
Bible study Across Miles
Women’s Bible study is keeping up with technology, not for the
sake of it, but to study together across places and distance.
The St. James Women’s Bible Study uses Skype, a won-
derful way of reconnecting across distances. In the Koinonia masthead, the circle with the cross in the center symbolizes
With a drink, some snacks, a Bible, and their study book, the ladies
are ready to reflect on life in the light of the Scripture. With Skype
and a laptop, they all join from across the diocese. The core group
meets at the rectory once a week and others join, Mareus from
Wichita (right on laptop) and Ruth, who is relocating to Dallas TX.
Others have also joined.
Certainly this group loves the Lord and His Word and
prayerfully ponders and applies His Word to life’s situations.
They fruitfully engage with one another, spreading love
for the Word of the Lord using technology.
They begin with a prayer and focus on topical studies. In
this weeks study from Women Like Us, the topic was Lot’s wife
and materialism.
The Bible study ends with individual intercessions and
prayer intentions for the greater church.
2
PROVINCIAL GATHERING! PLEASE COME TO
THE ECUMENICAL CONGRESS FEATURING
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP OCT 21-22, 2009
the paten and the diverse elements which form a whole. The Mosaic repre-
sents the great cloud of witnesses and the church tradition. The red in the
letters represents the blood of Christ with the font comprised of individual
pieces of letters that are not joined until the blood unifies them. Koinonia
is the official publication of the Anglican Province of the Holy Catho-
lic Church-Anglican Rite (HCCAR) aka Anglican Rite Catholic Church.
It is published quarterly at St. James Anglican Church, 8107 S. Holmes
Road, Kansas City, MO 64131. Phone: 816.361.7242 Fax: 816.361.2144.
Editors: The Rt. Rev. Leo Michael & Holly Michael, Koinonia header:
Phil Gilbreath;
email: koinonia@holycatholicanglican.org or
visit us on the web at: www.holycatholicanglican.org
The College of Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite: The
Most Rev. Thomas J. Kleppinger, Metropolitan & Bishop Ordinary of the
Diocese of The Resurrection; The Rt. Rev. Leo J. Michael, Bishop Or-
dinary of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity & Great Plains; The Rt. Rev.
Henry Joseph King, Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Pacific and
Southwest; The Rt. Rev. Kenneth Kinner, Missionary Jurisdiction of the
American Indian People; The Rt. Rev. Anthony F. Rasch, Bishop Coadju-
tor of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest; The Rt. Rev. James Mc-
Neley, Bishop Emeritus; The Rt. Rev. A. David Seeland, Bishop Emeritus,
The Rt. Rev. Ronald Greeson, Suffragan Emeritus (DHTGP)
M etro's Message Trinity 2- 2009 A.D.
THE OFFICE OF THE METROPOLITAN
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Kleppinger
44 South Eighth Street, Quakertown PA 18951-1206
B
eloved in Christ,
For more than thirty
years there have been
Anglicans who have sought
to be faithful to Scripture
and Tradition, to the Faith
Christ once-delivered to His
Church. Unfortunately the
years have been marked
with division which we pro-
fess to lament but seem un-
able to reconcile.
The reasons for division
in the Anglican Continuum
are legion. Part of the problem
has been the comprehensiveness of Anglicanism which
some find laudable and others deem detrimental de-
pending where one would like the Church to be. The
problem is subjective; the solution is objective.
Post-Reformation Anglicanism attempted to be
inclusive of differing theological preferences running
from Geneva to Rome. It did not matter that different
interpretations were given to common expressions of
faith such as The Articles of Religion. The intent was to
have everyone in one Church.
Other faith groups do not seem to be afflicted
with the tension between Catholic and Protestant.
Division usually arises out of Biblical concerns. Of
course the very term Protestant has been co-opted to
mean non-Catholic or worse, anti-Catholic. The word
actually means not to stand against, but to stand for.
It originally meant Catholics who are non-papal who
were intent on standing for the Ancient Catholic Faith
and not the papal accretions. Bishop John Jewell in
his Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae, 1562, has written
concerning the Church of England:
We have returned to the Apostles and old Cath-
olic fathers. We have planted no new religion, but only
have preserved the old that was undoubtedly founded
and used by the Apostles of Christ and other holy Fa-
thers of the Primitive Church....
In the earliest stages of the Reformation the
various denominations were liturgical. There was no
argument with the proper subject for Baptism. There
was little objection to the frequent celebration of the
Holy Communion. Luther and Calvin both held high
opinions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The challenges to
these things came later.
The Prophet Amos said that two cannot walk
together except they be agreed. The Bible cautions
against being neither hot or cold. The Continuum has
not brought the principle of tolerance for disagreement.
We are possessed of guarding long-held theological
opinions with tenacity.
The Affirmation of Saint Louis was designed to
be an instrument of unity. Instead divisions have come.
Some read into the Affirmation only the safeguards
against Prayer Book revision and innovations in Minis-
try. Others see the restoration of the Primitive Church
embracing Seven Ecumenical Councils and Seven Sacra-
ments with the requirement that all historic documents
must be defined by the Early Church Fathers. The result
has been tension between Anglican comprehensiveness
and Anglican orthodoxy.
The catalyst for the founding of The Anglican
Church of North America appears to be women and
homosexuals in the Episcopate. The Book of Common
Prayer speaks of Holy Order as Bishop, Priests and Dea-
cons. The neo-orthodox separate the Episcopate from the
other two orders. While the ordination of women is a local
option for the diaconate and priesthood, only the episco-
pate is limited to males.
The polity of the ACNA is not clearly defined. They
appear to be a fraternity of various National Churches,
dioceses and organizations and jurisdictions that overlap
and are based on holding in common faith and practice
that differ from other faith groups, rather than geogra-
phy. They continue the experience of comprehensiveness
limited only by concerns for the episcopate. Someone has
opined the only thing upon which all are agreed is Matri-
mony.
This is a halting between two positions. Either
women can be ordained or they cannot. How does one
who professes not to believe in the ordination of women,
exercise his priestly ministry in communion with those
whom he defines are not priests? Do you allow them to
pretend? Do you allow the faithful to be duped? This may
be unity of people but it is not based on unity in faith.
Lukewarmness is not a Christian attribute.
Truth is not relevant nor is it subjective. There
cannot be differing truths all of which are right even
though contradictory. This is confusion of which Satan is
the author. As a nation we unknowingly are moving into
the adoption of Hinduism with such thoughts as God is
known by different names, and everyone goes to heaven
by different roads. We are tolerant of a pantheon of gods
except that Jesus Christ dare not be mentioned in the
public forum. All truths are equal, but Jesus is forbid-
den.
The prophet Micah says two cannot walk together
except they be agreed. As experience teaches, agreement
must be continuing lest division result.
St. Matthew records Jesus: “Think not that I am
come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance
against his father, and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a
man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
 How are differing opinions to be reconciled? Ob-
viously there must be a standard outside of those who
disagree. There can be no reconciliation between two
people who insist they must prevail. St. Peter says the
Scripture is not of private opinion. The Holy Spirit guides
the Church (collectively) into truth. The early Church
had the unity of spirit in the bond of peace by continu-
ing steadfastly with the Apostles: in their doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers.
There was One Church, One Faith, One Lord. The focus
of unity was the Apostles who delivered to them the faith
they had received from Jesus. The Apostles are the ob-
jective standard. Those who are not in agreement walk
separately from the Apostles and those continue with
them.
St. John writes in his first Epistle, “That which
we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also
may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Your
fellowship with the Apostles brings fellowship with God
and results in unity among like-minded Christians.
The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian
Church, says, “For there must be also heresies among
you, that they which are approved may be made mani-
fest among you.” What you believe matters if you would
be approved. In the midst of the confusion of unhappy
division, those who stand with the Apostles are made
manifest.
The Church is Sacramental, not a political struc-
ture. Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith. He is
the Head of the Church and He, alone, is Truth. Unity is
maintained by continuing with His Apostles through the
Bishops whom He has sent. The safeguard to preserving
unity is governing by consensus and never a simple ma-
jority vote. This is the evidence of the Holy Spirit leading
into truth -- the only basis for communion. One Lord.
One Faith. One Church. There is communion among
like-minded Christians. There can be no communion
among those who are not like-minded.
May it may please Almighty God to bring into the
way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived,
and may this begin with us.
+ Thomas Kleppinger
GOD IS OUR COMPASS
by Fr. Jimmie Dean
Greetings. We all returned safe and sound from “God is our Com-
4
pass’ camp in Story,WY. The camp was filled with laughs, a variety
of activities, friendship, crafts, and spiritual engagements. I hope you
enjoy hearing about our five days at camp as much as I enjoy sharing
them with you.
One evening we sat around the campfire and some of the adults
AROUND HCCAR
impersonated each other, not a planned
activity, but a hilarious show.
Our activities were swimming in Wy-
oming’s largest outdoor pool in Buf-
falo, hiking and horseback riding in
the beautiful Big Horn mountains. We
visited three different western histori-
cal sites. Bishop Kinner and three oth-
ers who really knew their stuff offered
informative talks. They shot mid-1800
rifles and a cannon which really got
our attention. We learned about Amer-
ica moving west and about battles be-
tween the US Army, the migrants, gold
seekers and Native Americans. Dylan & James’s baptism, sons of Claudia and Jack Tulanowski.
One rainy afternoon (thanks be to God) They were baptized at The Church of the Incarnation.A lovely
we spent woodburning “God is our Compass” wall plaques and play- reception followed at the home of the proud grandparents, Linda
ing board games. Most of the campers (13) knew each other before and Owen Koay.
camp, but we were happy to have four newcomers: Megan Brum-
met, and the Lays: Ashley, Helen and John Ross. By the second day
new friends were made and by weeks end real bonds had been estab-
lished.The campers shared in setting up and cleaning at meal time as
well as cleaning cabins, outside area showers and rest rooms.
Each morning and evening we discussed one Psalm, and
an OT and NT reading to gain a better understanding of Holy Scrip-
ture and how it applies to our life. We talked about the suffering in
the lives of the prophets, apostles, and Jesus and their courage and
conviction it took to face persecution, pain and death. We compared
their lives and faith to how we need to remain strong and do what
is right even if it’s not popular. We also discussed the importance of
committing ourselves to Holy Martimony someday and how people
should enter marriage understanding issues before hand. We stressed
the gift of children and how families united in Christ will succeed in
life. We also discussed how wisdom from Proverbs and solid friend-
ships from Sirach can mean the difference between a so-so life and a
life full of joy and meaning.
Before the camp was over the campers wrote down what
camp meant to them and what they learned. Many of them mentioned
fun and activities. Here are some comments: I learned about fearing
the Lord and living a Godly life, I learned about wisdom, It is easy
to feel God’s presence here, I learned about God and the ways He
works, I looked forward to am and pm prayers. I learned true fear of
the Lord, a concept I never truly understood.
Bishop Kinner held evening instruction for the adults and
older campers which averaged 12, some traveling from Sheridan. The Congratulations to St. Mary the Virgin,
subjects covered were Psalms, Prophets, Creation, Fall of Man, In- Chatsworth, CA on its 30th Anniversary
tervention of God, The Law, the Incarnation, and The Sacrifice of the
Messiah and His resurrection and what it all means to Christians. Our We celebrated St. Mary’s Patronal Feast last Sunday, August
thanks to the Beckers for organizing activities. It was a great success. 16th. Our diocesan, Bishop King, celebrated a Solemn High
We’re discussing ideas for next year and will get the word out as early Mass and preached. This is our parish's 30th year anniver-
as possible. Hope to see everyone there, where ever ‘there’is. sary, so we honored members who were part of the first 20
years of our existence, each with a colorful recognition certifi-
cate that described their particular contributions to the parish
(Vestry, acolyte service, etc.). Afterward we enjoyed a barbecue
luncheon at a nearby location.
 AROUND HCCAR AROUND HCCAR
St. John the Divine The Diocese of Holy Trinity & Great Plains
Hereford, AZ
The Parish recently celebrated
the second annual Mid-Monsoon
Buccalic Bachanal and Parish
Picnic. Moderate amounts of
“Moose Drool” and “home made
cactus wine” were in evidence
as hamburgers, hotdogs, home
grown corn on the cob and a
variety of veggie things were all
barbecued in a truly culturally
diverse Catholic Family setting!
St. Dominic’s Dorm (formerly the Bishop’s Apartment) remains
2/3 full and the daily school breakfast and transportation to a lo-
Confirmations and receptions at Corpus Cristi HCCAR Rogers AR with Deacon Julio and Fr. Rafael Carbajal, cal Charter School is expanded from two to five teens.
Below at St. James KCMO, St. Peter’s Albuquerque, St. Joseph’s Wichita and St. Gabriel’s Greeley, CO We continue the mid-week lunch and issues/Bible Study
group. Parishioners continue to contribute individual serving
foods so that anyone who knocks at the door claiming hunger or
thirst is not sent away empty handed..
Several people from outside our parish have accessed
the Seeland-Holy Cross Library in search of Catholic truth. Fr. William Beaver, Rector of St. Joseph of Glastonbury,
Thank you all for your prayers and for your support of Holy Wichita, KS has been appointed as the Archdeacon of the South.
Cross Seminary and the Parish of Saint John the Divine Congratulations and God bless Venerable William Beaver!

New Deacons for

Diocese of Holy Trinity &
Great Plains

Archbishop Kleppinger’s 65th Birthday: Congrats!

New Deacon for Diocese of Resurrection
The Rev’d Michael Rush
Congratulations and welcome aboard!
We want to welcome aboard The Rev'd Michael Rush
who was received in his Orders as a Deacon into the HCC-AR
at the Pro-Cathedral of the Incarnation, Quakertown, PA, by The
Metropolitan. He hails from the Pittsburgh area where he hopes Julio Jimenez’s ordination to the Diaconate at St. James. Deacon
to establish a work. He is continuing his studies for a M.Div. at Julio will help coordinate the Hispanic Ministry in the diocese.
St. Andrew's Theological College and Seminary, Lexington, NC.
We rejoice in this forward movement for our jurisdiction Bill Brummet of Casper WY will be ordained to the Diaconate
and pray the Lord's blessing upon his endeavors. on Oct 4th. Confirmations to follow at Holy Family HCCAR.
Congratulations Deacons!

6
 The Spirituality Little People
for some and the end of all things to others. I believe God is call-
ing us to arise and awaken from our slumber and rise to the occa-

Solution
sion in the hour of our great national need. As a father of two, I

Can Do Big
pray that it will be their generation that will turn back to God and
to obedience to His commandments.
by Bill Brummet bulb to work by. I do not think so. The really neat part is, and thir- In the spiritual order, we are called to be watchful, to

A
teen sentences later, on the fourth day of Creation, God created the pray and to occupy until Our Lord comes. All three of these are

Things, Too!
ddiction is a horrible and insidious disease that tears sun, the moon and the stars. So, what was the light in the beginning bound up in our practice of prayer as Anglicans specifically, and
families apart, destroys lives, maims and eventually if it did not come from the sun, the moon and the stars. The light as Catholics in a general sense, whether Latin or Orthodox. For
kills the addicted. can be considered a Mystery, the light is supernatural, a life force, our life of prayer offers what no other Christian community can
My Lord has the solution for people who are willing to fol- an essence of God's handiwork. Darkness cannot survive the light. offer: Constancy. With Constancy comes peace -- the genuine
by Loren Michael Byelich God-given shalom of God which begins inward and extends out-
low a simple path that will change their lives and remove the desire God created everything unique and changing with a million differ-

I
to use drugs or alcohol. ent colors. God loves variety and his purpose, he loves change and ward to our neighbors.
I was asked to substitute for a staff member who teaches he loves us all. God's Light, our life force is in everything. n the popular Veggie Tales children’s series, they is an
oft-spoken statement: “Little people can do big things,
An Anglican Response
a Spirituality Class once a week at a Recovery Center. I was also As alcoholics and addicts: you have a choice. Everyone The Evening Prayer For our Nation has become our
asked to conduct a Spirituality Class for an intense outpatient pro- has a choice. You can choose God's Light that brings change and too!” At the Church of the Incarnation in Quakertown,
unique Anglican response to our present situation as a nation.
gram. The program has been successful because the doctors and life or you can choose darkness, no change, no color, no life. This is PA, we are saying something similar: “Little churches can do big
Using the readings for the Independence Day service offered to
director are willing to change to produce a program that will work not a one time decision, we make this decision everyday. things, too!” With a weekly attendance of about 20-25 on any
us by our founding fathers under the oversight of Bishop William
for each individual that includes A.A. and a solid spiritual founda- Everyone must transform themselves to meet their own given Sunday, we are endeavoring to make it a priority to do just
White of Pennsylvania, we learn what they would have had us to
tion. problems. We must change old behaviors and habits to become what we Anglicans do best: to pray.
do today -- that is, to reach out to the “fatherless, the widow and
The spirituality class clean and sober for any length Having come to Christ in a Baptist setting, I was well
the stranger”. Likewise, in using the various collects For Our
is an hour and a half long and of time. What a monumental familiar with the Wednesday night prayer meeting. It was known
“The minute you separate yourself from Country, For The President, and others, we find what they would
there are some ground rules task! in our little church as the “Power House” for all the other activi-
have had us to pray today.
that I must follow. I cannot God there is a cold dark void within your For Example, a po- ties in which the church engaged itself. Indeed we saw, on a small
Our first attempt yielded a mustard seed-sized response,
lice officer carries his gun in a budget, great miracles of God’s grace.
heart. The immediate solution is to fill
mention religious background of 20 people with two visitors. Having been encouraged, we de-
or affiliation nor engage in a re- holster on his right hip for 15 Each summer, the church and its Sunday school building
cided to offer this service each month on the second Thursday of
would be filled with children from the surrounding communities
ligious discourse with the resi-
dents. In short, I am prohibited
the dark hole in your soul with alcohol or years.
use a
The officer
shoulder
decides to
holster on his for Daily Vacation Bible School. For two weeks, in the grueling
the month.
from promoting my church or drugs. Yet the darkness never leaves and left side because it feels bet- summer heat with no central air, children, who had never graced The Future
the steps of a church, were hearing for the first time about our Lord
nothing changes. A convenient solution to
personal belief. I ask my Lord ter. Several days after mak- We are currently engaged in looking at “Our Natural
on a personal basis to guide ing the change, the officer is and Savior Jesus Christ. and Inalienable Rights from God: The Right to Life, Liberty and
me and the people I am speak- slowly exterminate you and your soul.” attacked by a robber, the of- Likewise other ministries thrived -- for senior adults (the the Pursuit of Happiness.” Using selected texts we are taking the
ing to. To give loving, but firm ficer reaches for his gun and Second Winders), for youth and a woman’s ministry of 100 or more time to lay the groundwork of how to face our greatest challenges
direction toward His blessings it not there. He had moved his women -- in a church that seated 150 people on a given Sunday. as a nation. Our answer is to fully embrace and live these rights
and teaching for us all. The director has at the very least introduced weapon, muscle memory made the officer reach for something that Why had God so blessed this small country church? It and the responsibilities that must, of need, go along with them.
me as a member of "Holy Family Catholic Church, Anglican Rite". was not there. It took the officer 3000 repetitions to ingrain this re- was because his people had made it a point to invest their time in This October we will be examining the gift of Life, inviting the
I am pleased with this. action. To recondition and unlearn the old habit he must do 15,000 prayer. local Crisis Pregnancy Care clinic to set up a booth afterwards as
I tell them to keep and maintain sobriety one must estab- to 18,000 repetitions. How hard is it going to be to alter the way we I am an Anglican now, through and through, but I will a positive means by which we can promote life. After this short
lish a spiritual foundation based on think? It takes a lot of work to make never forget those days in my late teen years and how God worked series, we are hoping to begin a longer study about the Christian
your own absolute belief in God. To “You can choose God’s Light that brings change a change to a strong spiritual frame- so mightily in and through such a small band of otherwise nor- Virtues which made us a great nation.
change your life and rid yourself of and life or you can choose darkness, no change, work with God as the carpenter it mal folk just because they prayed. The ministry of prayer and its
Local Action, National Rallying Cry
the desire to drink or use addictive becomes easier. necessity takes on a greater dimension for me as a liturgical and
no color, no life. This is not a one time decision, It is our hope to encourage not only other Anglicans, but
drugs, your faith will be the cure. Addicted people use the same sacramental Christian. For our whole life is a prayer to God. We
I look at the ten or twelve we make this decision everyday.” behaviors and habits over and over offer “ourselves, our souls and bodies” to Him each week. And we
all Christians to organize and hold prayer meetings like this one.
We hope to reach out to our street and town with the good news
people I am talking to and tell them, again, in fact all people do this to do so in union with Our Lady, the Apostles, the Martyrs and all the
of the Gospel. We desire to let others know there is someone who
"half of you will die drunk or addicted unless there are changes some degree. Once again we must make a decision to turn are spirit saints and angels in heaven.
is praying for them -- whether the President or our neighbor. And
made in your life" . and lives over to God and let the light in to change these dark be- An Urgent Need I trust fully that God will do great things with this little church.
To understand the concept of spirituality and utilizing it for haviors to a path of recovery. Turn to God and he will Say, "Let In recent days, both during the last Presidential Adminis- We may not see the fruit immediately today or tomor-
your cure for addiction, one must start at the very beginning, such there be light" Please follow a program once you are back on the tration and the current one, I have felt a growing need that Chris- row. But “he that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth
as the beginning of the Universe. When God began to create the streets. AA and Celebrate Recovery are both great programs with a tians ought to be praying for our nation. We need to repent of our forth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring
earth it was unformed, a cold, black void. A place of desolation and proven record. These programs will lead to God and eventually you sins as a nation and pray for deliverance from evil. Our needs are
will find it unnecessary to return to addictive behavior. Eventually his sheaves with him.”
despair. A place where nothing can change. greater than any political party can even hope to meet. For they
The minute you separate yourself from God there is a cold you will have to go out and help another human being who is suffer- are deep spiritual wounds that have been growing and festering on
dark void within your heart. The immediate solution is to fill the ing. God spoke to Micah and said to him "live Justly, love tenderly the body of our nation for nearly a century. Loren Michael Byelich lives in Quakertown, PA with my wife and best
dark hole in your soul with alcohol or drugs. Yet the darkness never and walk humbly next to your Lord. God Bless each and everyone It seems nowadays that the burden of every past struggle friend, Alicia, and two children, Cameron Michael (age 6) and Jaiden
leaves and nothing changes. A convenient solution to slowly exter- of you. in American history is now being laid upon us altogether and at Gabriel (age 3). A graduate of Philadelphia Biblical University (1997)
minate you and your soul. Bill Brummet of Holy Family, Casper, Wyoming was once in our day. We can barely manage to keep abreast of the news with a B.S. in Bible and Youth Ministry, he serves as acolyte at the
We all know the story does not end in despair. God said ordained a Deacon October 4, 2009. He has an ongo- cycle, what our elected officials are doing and the maintenance of
Church of the Incarnation and is a postulant for Holy Orders.
" let there be light and there was light". The answer to darkness is ing ministry among recovering alcoholics. We wish our own households. It feels like a great chastisement from God
light. Did God create light as we know it, illumination, a huge light him God’s Blessings.
8
 Glastonbury
Cradle of Britain Christianity
Travelogue by Bishop Leo & Holly Michael

A rendition of how the Abbey church would have looked in it’s

glorious past.

“There was within the realm of King Aethelstan a certain royal island known.
Locally from ancient times called Glastonbury it spread wide with numerous Inlets,
surrounded by lake and full of fish and by rivers, suitable for human use
And, what is more important, endowed by God with sacred gifts”
The life of St. Dunstan

T
Archeology tells that Christianity was present in Somerset since earliest days. Glastonbury was important for pilgrimage –
he footsteps of the medieval pilgrims followed to the ancient Christian heritage, the first Christian community founded by
even being called the Second Rome. The Abbey became the largest and richest in England. St. Bridget, St. David and St. Patrick
Joseph of Arimathea in 63A.D. Glastonbury stands to attest to the beginnings of early Christianity in Britain.
are said to have visited. St. Dunstan was educated at Glastonbury Abbey and was Abbot until he became Archbishop of Canterbury.
Glastonbury Abbey is steeped in legend and history. Traditionally the earliest Christian sanctuary in Britain. The
Another Glastonbury monk, Sigeric became archbishop in 10th century.
Somerset Tradition is that Joseph of Arimathea is Mary’s uncle, that he was a trader who travelled to Britain to buy tin from Cornwall
In 1191 legend says that the monks found and the buried remains of King Arthur and his Queen Guinevere. In 1278 they were
and lead from Somerset, and that one or more of these voyages he brought the young Jesus with him. They built at Glastonbury a
re-buried in the chancel in the presence of Kind Edward I and Queen Eleanor.
little, simple place of worship, a tiny church if you like, of interwoven willow branches plastered with mud: ‘the wattle church’ often
In succession 3 stone Abbey churches have stood here. The remains date from 1184 until 1539, when the Abbey was seized by King
subsequently called the “Old Church”. History records it as standing in 600; and it burnt down when the entire Abbey church were
Henry VIII, during the Dissolution of Monasteries. The Abbot’s kitchen is one of the Abbey’s remaining complete buildings.
destroyed by fire in 1184.
10
 Teen Scene-A Faith Story
by Lauren Betts, member of St. Joseph of Glastonbury, Wichita, Kansas

The Holy Thorn Tree:

Behind St. Patrick’s Chapel is the
Glastonbury Holy Thorn Tree, which
flowers twice each year. The Holy
Thorn is said to have originated from
a tree that grew, according to legend,
when Joseph of Arimathea plunged his

W
staff into the ground in Glastonbury
and it burst into leaf.
hen Lauren Betts plays her violin she often feels as if she is worshipping God through her music. “Music is beautiful,”
The Glastonbury Tor (Tor meaning hill) is one Lauren, a Wichita Kansas high school senior says. “And it reminds me of God’s love.”
of the famous and sacred landmarks. It has been a place of pil- Lauren recalls another time when music became a vehicle where she experienced God’s love. In the summer of 2007, while
grimage for 10,000 years. On the Summit is St. Michael’s tower at church camp, she sang worship music with 200 youth. “It was hard to explain but I know I felt God’s love,” Lauren said. “I felt
part of the 14th cen- the Holy Spirit when I was singing and it was a different, powerful moment for me.”
tury church. It was Lauren plans to attend Wichita State University next fall to major in music education. She says she prefers organ music to
Our Lady’s Chapel as it stands today (top) & a plaque with its rendition (above)
built to replace the church bands so St. Joseph’s in Wichita, where she is a member, is just right for her. “I have always liked smaller churches,” she
previous church de-
St. Joseph of Arimathea who stroyed by an earth-
said. “And I like that the service is traditional.”
More than the music, Lauren says it’s the people who make the church great. Lauren received her confirmation at St. Joseph’s
placed the body of Christ quake 1275. The in Wichita, Kansas on August 8, 2009. She says she was proud to be accepted into the church. “It was really a joyous occasion,”
in the tomb, came to the second church last- she said. “I felt really glad to be a member of the church family.” Now that she’s received the gifts of the Holy Spirit she says she
site of Avalon by boat ed until the destruc- tries not to slack off or lie or do anything she might have considered doing before. “
with his twelve com- tion of the mon- Lauren admits it’s God who helps her in all she does, whether it be orchestra, school or her work at Little Caesars. She says
panions. He brought the asteries in 1539. her faith has been important to her for as long as she can remember. “It gives me peace,” she says. Lauren describes peace as a
Holy Grail, the chalice Glastonbury con- feeling where you give up all of your worries and focus on what is important, when you focus on the good things in your life.
used by our Lord in the tinues to be a place And even when times aren’t so good, Lauren says she also focuses on God. “When my grandfather was really sick and he
Last Supper. He buried of pilgrimage as the had his bladder removed, we prayed for him. He has started to heal now. That showed me that miracles do happen and God is in our
the Chalice near the Tor cradle of Christen- lives.”
in Chalice Hill, possibly dom in Britain. The Lauren has a t-shirt that reads, “By God’s Grace all will be well.” She says those words lifts her spirits. When asked how she
by the Chalice well, the mission of HCCAR relates to an unseen God, she says it can be frustrating at times, but she tries to remember that He is there for her. “He is there and
main Spring in the is- is to perpetuate the helps me with any challenge that comes my way.”
land. He is said to have Faith, Order, Wor- Lauren stays involved in community by helping kids with special needs. “You have to connect with them and be friends with
built the original wattle ship and Witness them,” she said. “With my experience having a special needs brother, I’ve learned patience. I wouldn’t be the same person I am now
church where Glaston- of Western Catholi- if not for my brother.”
bury Abbey later stood. cism as it existed in Other than playing her violin, Lauren says family time is important to her. “They are quirky fun people and I love them very
He is depicted holding the the Church of Eng- much,” she says. Lauren will travel to Kansas City to offer a Christmas concert at St. James the Sunday before Christmas.
oils with which he anoint- land from around
ed the body of Christ. 200 A.D.
12
Fired up for the Lord
Padre Rafael Carbajal,
Cuerpo de Cristo Santa Iglesia Catolica Rito Anglicana
by Holly Michael
F
ive years ago, when Fr. Rafael Carbajal was ordained a
priest at age seventy-two, he said he felt “the fire” as he
did when he was a teenager, bull fighting in Mexico City
with money in his pocket and fame at his door. Now at age sev-
enty-seven when asked if he’s still feeling the fire, he laughs and
says, “more than ever.”
“Now the fire is twenty-four hours a day, even through
the night,” he says.
It’s not fame or fortune that keeps
Father Carbajal’s continually burning
flame aglow. The Holy Spirit keeps him
“fired-up” for the Lord. Fr. Carbajal wakes
at midnight and prays and then prays again
at three o’clock in the morning. He’s not
praying alone. Praying with him— day
and night— are his “Disciples of Christ,”
a group of twenty-four individuals with a
mission to pray.
“Jesus told Peter to wake up and
pray,” Fr. Carbajal said. “The Lord Jesus
teaches us the most important things are
to pray and participate in the Kingdom of
God right here and right now”
“We read Scripture by the light of
the Holy Spirit,” Fr. Carbajal said, refer-
ring to his Disciples of Christ. “We begin
our time together with adoration to the
Holy Spirit,” he says. “The Holy Spirit
takes care of those who belong to Jesus.
The Lord said, before his departure to the
glory of His Father, that the Holy Spirit
would come over you and He will refresh
you and take care of you. The Holy Spirit
will bless us, guide us, keep us and help us work
for Jesus because we are children of God.”
Father Carbajal says that the Disciples
of Christ study Scripture daily to learn to manage
feelings, to see others through the eyes of Christ,
to participate in the Glory of God, and to walk
with the Lord.
“And our focus is on the Holy Com-
munion,” he adds. “The Holy Communion is the
revelation of the secret love of Jesus. When you
understand this message in the Bible, you under-
stand so much.”
Father Carbajal says becoming a be-
liever is the first start to becoming a Disciple of
Christ. “There are believers in the church, and
that’s a wonderful thing. But the Lord said if you
really want to walk with me, pick up your cross
and follow me.”
Father Rafael’s ministry is igniting flames of spirituality
and is spreading to many. Saturday, September 27, Bishop Leo
Michael traveled to Springdale, Arkansas to confirm fifteen new
members of Iglesia del Cuerpo de Cristo - Corpus Christi Anglican
14
Church where Fr. Carbajal serves. About 115 members were in at-
tendance.
Though Fr. Carbajal says he was always a believer, teach-
ahora componemos.y asido huna experiencia maravillosa porque
de esta manera nos estamos dando cuenta de las maravillas que
dios nuestro senor ace. y estamos conosiendo al espiritu santo.
ing religious classes and maintaining a close relationship with his ahora asistemos aloa estudios bliblicos los miercoles y
parish priest, it’s wasn’t until his later years, that he finally had the los jueves hun pastor biene ami casa pra ensenarnos lo que dise
opportunity to serve the Lord as His priest. nuestro dios mor medio desu palabra y los viernes tambien asiste-
After bullfighting in his youth, Fr. Carbajal worked his mos con el padre y tenomos conocimientos de diosy pues los do-
way up the corporate ladder of success in Mexico’s pharmaceutical mingos asistemos ala misa...quiero brevemente decir hun cambi-
business. He retired early and purchased a fiberglass manufacturing otan grande que a avido en mi que hantes yo era muy mal ablado
plant. The economy fell into a depression and Fr. Carbajal lost his con palabras muy afencivas y ahora seme a quitado eso porque
company. me di cuenta que dios nunca ablo asi y no le gusta que sus hijos lo
Fr. Carbajal had always loved to paint. He decided to pur- sean tampoco ...grasias.)
sue painting full time. Using a medium of oil and knife that he had My name is Daniel Gamez, and I would like to share with
practiced for years, he became a successful artist, some of his art- you that a friend to my Wife Rosalba introduced us to Fr. Rafael,
work selling for five thousand to since we were looking for a Church to give thanks to God and cel-
cess.”
fifteen thousand dollars. His vivid ebrate our daughter’s 15th birthday. We never imagined the great
His success is in his ministry and can be counted in the
paintings are rich with religious experience that the Holy Ghost had prepared for us! With the gra-
number of souls that he leads to the Lord. He serves God by going
symbolism. Some of his paintings cious help of Fr. Rafael and thanks to the Holy Ghost, we have
to schools, hospitals, prisons, operating a food bank, and his cur-
are still showcased at the Phoenix
rent emphasis on training Disciples of Christ for the Lord.
Art Museum.
But success didn’t equate to
happiness for Father Carbajal. He
said he broke his painting tools in
half and threw them in the trash
and walked away from painting at
the height of his career. He said he
felt depressed and frustrated and
asked the Lord what was wrong
with him.
“I felt the Lord telling me, ‘you
wanted success and I gave it to
you, what more do you want?’”
He told God he’d nev-
er paint again until He told him to.
From there, he accepted an invita- started to know God, and we are so thankful of what God have
Testimonials from the Disciples of Christ
tion to stay with a friend who of- brought to our family; we are indeed in need of God’s mercy; we
My name is Fernando Perez and this is my testimony:
fered him a room with a bed and are now learning so much! We pray God to let us keep learning
My wife Leticia and I were not assisting Church for a long while,
a Bible. He found his peace with about Him and improving ourselves in this Ministry of Christ’s
until one day that my cousin Rosalba Gamez talked to us about
God. Disciples. Amen.
Fr. Rafael Carbajal and his Ministry. We started participating of
Fr. Carbajal said he would like to paint (mi nombre es daniel gamez.... y quiero decir que por
the Holy Mass and we found out about Fr. Rafael’s bible study
again, but he admits that painting con- mediode huna amiga de mi esposa rosalva nos acercamos ala
groups. We are now assisting to the Ministry meetings, and we
sumes him and takes him away from min- iglesia del padre carvajal con el motivo de celevrar los 15 anos
are an integral part of it; it has been such a wonderful experience
istry. “I get lost out of this world as soon de nuestra lupita sin imajinarnos laexpeririencia que el espiritu
because we are finally realizing of all the great wonders that our
as I smell the paint,” he says. santo tenia preparada para nosotros. grasias al padre carvajaly al
Lord creates, and also we started learning and knowing the Holy
“I always believed I should do espiritu santo estamos enpesando ha coneser ha dios es my mara-
Ghost.
whatever I did, the very best that I could villoso lo que dios nos ha traido a nuestra familia la cual estamos
Currently, we are assisting the Bible Studies on Wednes-
do it,” he said. And I’ve tasted the flavor tan nesecitados dela misericordia de dios. ahoritaestamos aprend-
day, and every Thursday, we have somebody that comes to our
of many successes. But each time, I found iendo mucho. yesperamos seguir superandonos en este ministerio
house to teach us about God’s word; On Fridays we talked with Fr.
that it wasn’t what I was looking for. I felt de los disipulos de cristo....amen senor.)
Rafael, and every Sunday we participate of the Holy Mass.
emptiness and disappointment.”
I would like to say that since I’ve started this Ministry,
When he moved to Arkansas
the change in my person is noticeable... Sadly, I used to curse of-
in the early nineties, Father Carbajal be-
ten, and not anymore since I’ve started learning about God; I re-
came a baker, artistically creating Italian,
alize now that Jesus never spoke that way, and he wouldn’t like
French and Spanish pastries from recipes
either for us to have such behavior. Thank you.
he gleaned from his Sicilian grandmother,
(Mi nombre es fernando perez. y mi experiencia esla si-
and from his travels to Venice, Florence,
guiente. yo i mi esposa leticia estavamos muy retirados dela ig-
Rome and Assisi. His daughter Marcella now owns and operates the
lesia hasta que hun buen dia . mi prima rosalva gamez me ablo
bakery in Rogers, Arkansas.
sobre del padre rafael carvajal y comense ha acistir denuevo ala
Fr. Carbajal, who is now focusing on ministry full time
misa y fue alli donde me dicuenta que el carvajal tenia hun disipu-
says, “After many years, I’m finally tasting the real flavor of suc-
lado para estudiar la palabra de dios y ahora estamos asistiendo
a las clases con el disipulado y llasemos parte del ministerio que

Some Thoughts On
Evangelism
By Deacon David Valentini, Christ our
Saviour Anglican Mission
I
oversee a small mission parish in
downtown San Diego. I conduct a
Deacon’s mass Sundays at 11am, and,
a weekly Bible study Tuesdays at 7pm.
All of our parishioners live and work in
the Downtown area. They range in age
from forty to eighty years old. Some of
these men and women are well-versed
in the Bible, while others are not. This small congregation has
both former Catholics and Evangelicals. The former Catholics
see the Anglican liturgy as similar to the Latin Rite. The former
Evangelicals see the Anglican Liturgy as being rich with the Bible.
Both groups would be surprised to learn that the Book of Com-
mon Prayer and the Anglican Missal have prayers in them that are
over 1400 years old, but are as relevant to our respective needs as
Christians as they were in the 7th century. The need to pray to the
Trinity, for healing, for our leaders, our clergy, and those we love
remains unchanged.
Evangelism to me is a very personal one- on- one dy-
namic. I believe that the greatest way to bring people into the
Church is by sharing the Anglican Christian Faith one on one. In
doing so, one can get a sense of what kind of background that a
prospective parishioner has. It is also a great opportunity to hear
their objections about “organized religion.” Many objections are
raised about the need to go to Mass or services, as well as the sinful
nature of some Church leaders over the last 2,000 years. However,
I love when such objections come up because it provides an op-
portunity to educate people on why it is important to attend Mass,
and to show them what the Church is about and teaches. Often, the
world-media distorts the “ true” nature of Church.
The Bible puts a large emphasis on evangelizing people
individually or in small groups. Matthew 4:18-19 and Mark 1:16-
17 both depict the account of Jesus calling Peter and his brother
Andrew to be “fishers of men”. In Luke 10:1-8, Jesus sends the
seventy-two to proclaim that He has come. In verses 5-6 our Lord
says:” When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ [6]
If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it
will return to you.” This passage would seem to indicate that if the
seventy-two were to be entering private homes, they would meet
individuals one on one or in small groups. Acts 9:1-6 recounts the
conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus. The initial conver-
sion process happens between Paul and the “spirit of Jesus.” Paul
went from being an enemy of Christianity to one of the most ardent
advocates of the Faith.
A great benefit of evangelizing to individuals or small
groups is that you to really get to see what problems and challeng-
es men and women have. People in larger groups will often put
on, as English author Susan Howatch calls the “glittering image.”
This glittering image often masks the aches, the pains, the trials,
and tribulations that men and women go through. Many people
will be more willing to tell you about their lives in small groups or
in a one- on -one setting. This leads to a wonderful opportunity to
talk about the love of Father, the redeeming power of the Son, and
the comfort of the Holy Ghost. When people hear about the loving
and merciful nature of God, many are inclined to at least consider
16
the possibility of going to Church on Sunday morning. There is no
more powerful experience than worshipping the Lamb, and in the
process the Life-Giving Trinity with the faithful on Earth and in
Heaven. I will end this section with an applicable phrase from Phi-
lippians 2:10 (King James Version): 10That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth.”
Part II.
Why it is so important for all Christians to evangelize or
share the Faith? The French have a saying that states the more
things change, the more they stay the same. This period in our
history reminds me of Rome at the time of Pope Gregory the Great
(540-604). During this time in history, civil authority had broken
down, there was violence in the streets, and people were starving
and jobless. The invading Germanic tribes had reintroduced their
pagan gods. Disease was rampant. Our modern society has some
of features of 6th century Rome: pockets of violence, immoral
leaders, and high employment rates in certain regions. Stores are
filled with books on New Age religions. We fail to realize what
author John Stoessinger calls the “lessons of history.” We as im-
perfect beings often repeat the mistakes of the past.
But how did Pope Gregory, the Bishop of Rome respond to
his conditions? He acted swiftly and with simplicity. He fed the
people of Rome. Gregory went through the streets and did a litany
similar to the one in the Book of Common Prayer. Imagine see-
ing this humble man, who didn’t want to be Pope, go through the
streets praying to Almighty God. The people saw him, and perhaps
viewed his humility, and actions. Perhaps they saw the Church as
a visible entity and in the process saw the love of God. Perhaps,
through some of these actions, this saint introduced the Faith to
some and increased that of others. Let us remind ourselves of the
definition of faith: the substance of things hoped for, and the evi-
dence of things unseen. Hebrews 11:1 (King James Version).
In sharing the Faith, this is something that every Christian can
do. You do not have to be one of the seventy-two that Jesus sent
out, or a prominent bishop. You do not have to hand out any bro-
chures on street corners or preach in the marketplace. One evan-
gelical pastor here in San Diego said that “the best way to share
the Faith, is to tell what Jesus has done for you. I am certain you
can all do that.” I would even argue that evangelism can take even
simpler forms. Some of these simpler forms can range from going
into your favorite morning coffee house, and sharing a kind word
with a customer or an employee. Another simpler way could be
simply remaining calm when someone else is bitter or losing “their
cool.” A perfect example of this was contained in a book I read
written by a woman in the Middle East who eventually converted
to Christianity. The author had a deep hatred of Christianity. One
day she met a priest. Upon encountering him, she felt bitter to-
wards him and his Faith. What struck her was the peacefulness
in his eyes and face, which she would later realize to be the love
of Christ coming from this man of God. The woman stated that
this was her first step in accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and
Saviour.
In conclusion evangelism is not complicated. The prac-
tice is quite simple and can take many forms. Evangelism should
be something we all do as Christians on a consistent basis. We live
in an era where people more than ever need to hear about the Lord.
When we share the Faith, our objective is not to fill the pews, but
bring people into a relationship with the life-giving Trinity. In do-
ing so, we as Christians are bearing witness to a world that needs
the “light of Christ” in its midst.
Journey to Anglicanism
by Fr. Church Carder, Alpine, California
I
attended church three times a week—twice on Sunday and a
Wednesday evening prayer meeting. This was normal. The
tough times were revivals—every evening for seven days,
two to three hours for each service. Forget about the homework.
God comes first. Camp meeting could be even more demanding—
long services, powerful, emotionally- demanding preaching, soul-
flaying preaching that penetrated my young heart and drove me
into the arms of God lest I perish in eternal hell. I was young. I
was searching. I was a member of the Church of the Nazarene.
I cherish my Nazarene upbringing. I hold dear my memo-
ries that early on confronted me with the seriousness of sin, the re-
demption available only through the precious blood of Christ, the
majesty and power of the Scriptures, and the magnificent preach-
ing, often presenting the mercy, love, and grace of Christ so power-
fully that the old saints openly wept with joy, and I sat spellbound,
speechless, and wobbly-legged when I left the service. We kids
memorized Bible verses and Bible facts. Our Bible teams com-
peted with other churches and districts for the honor of top Bible
quiz champion. Youth camps were fun and informative. I thank
God for the gracious gifts of my early
upbringing: godly parents, a church that
genuinely cared for the needy, and an
indelible set of Christian standards and
ideals that I joyfully carry with me to
this day.
At eighteen I set off for col-
lege, not surprisingly Eastern Naza-
rene College in Quincy, Massachusetts.
With an academic and music scholar-
ship under my belt, I looked forward
to the college experience, and I wasn’t
disappointed. My four years at East-
ern Nazarene were the most formative
of my life. My eyes were opened to a
new world of Christian academia. Here
were men and women who not only had good minds and the aca-
demic degrees but the dedication and courage to make a differ-
ence. I studied philosophy, psychology, and religion. I graduated
cum laude with a BA in religion and headed to Boston University’s
School of Theology where I majored in pastoral counseling.
Then something shocking happened. In spite of being
raised in the church by godly parents, educated within a Christian
college, aware of philosophical arguments and the theology and
doctrines of the Christian Church, I became an atheist. In the midst
of a program in pastoral counseling at a fine school of theology,
I chucked it all and became an unbeliever. An act of courage, a
psychologist told me. So why was I so miserable?
A pint or quart of vodka each evening kept me going for a while.
Then on December 3, 1971, I awoke to the most severe attack of
anxiety and despair I have ever experienced. (There’s a clinical
name for this somewhere.) I was lost, absolutely desperate, unable
to do my work, emotionally crippled, and flirting with the happi-
ness I might find in ending it all. It doesn’t get any worse than this.
Somehow I completed my semester exams at Boston University. I
pulled out of school and retreated to nurse my wounds and begin
the slow process of recovery.
For two years I was locked into the intellectual despair
of a particularly virulent form of atheism. Reductionism argues
that all thoughts, values, intuitions, and beliefs—even conscious-
ness itself-- are the product of the complex chemistry of the brain.
Even God is reduced to an idea that, given enough knowledge of
brain chemistry, can be completely understood. (Never mind that
the faith and hope of the reductionist is always in future scientific
knowledge; it is a sacred article of the atheist’s faith.) Reduction-
ism denies all forms of transcendence or redefines transcendence
as complexity that will be completely understood—someday.
Looking back at the hopelessness and despair that I was locked
into, I understand why vodka seemed my only answer. I consid-
ered the advice of fellow atheists who had two answers: (1) Yes,
there is no hope, but that’s the way it is, so eat, drink and be merry,
for tomorrow we die. (2) Create your own hope within the values
and institutions of this world. Neither “solution” was satisfactory.
And then I remembered my Christian upbringing. As I
view it now, my decision then to enter Nazarene Theological Sem-
inary in Kansan City, Missouri and return to the ministry was a
manifestation of the mysterious hand of God. (My psychologist,
however, called it regression, a retreat from reality and the cour-
age it takes to face life without infantile religion.) I entered the
seminary virtually without faith, a kind of walking shell, following
some kind of foggy path, but hoping for answers.
Answers were slow
in coming. The first ray of
sunlight came one day in
the seminary library, not
from a passage in the Bi-
ble or a chapel sermon, but
ironically from the eigh-
teenth century philosopher
David Hume. Hume chal-
lenges the assumptions
everyone makes about
causality. There is a kind
of faith needed by all of
us (including the scientist)
when we or the scientist
assert that an event causes
another event. After all, all we observe are separate events. We
don’t observe causality itself.
Here, for the first time, (even though I’d read Hume many
times before) I began to realize that science (even logic itself) re-
quires a kind of otherness, a kind of transcendent validation of
itself, a glue that holds propositions together in order for them to
make sense. It had been in front of me all those years, but I saw
clearly that science has its problems with faith too! It was a small
step toward the light.
I graduated from NTS in 1975, having had a successful
career there, but I was still searching. I took a small church in Los
Lunas, New Mexico. The church grew, but I sensed there was more
to the Christian faith than what I was receiving or delivering to the
people. After two years I accepted a call to be an Associate Dean
of Students and Assistant to the chaplain at Point Loma Nazarene
University in San Diego. I found myself doing administrative tasks
and duties that were worthwhile but out of line with what I had
once been called to do. I was unhappy and often left the services
at the local Nazarene church I was attending disturbed and angry.
I was hearing the Good News in the hymnody and sermons of the
church, but I sensed again that there was something missing.
 I left the Church of the Nazarene and my position at Point are necessary for living the Christian life. The Anglican Church,
Loma Nazarene University in 1980 and once again slipped into a formed at the historical cusp of the Reformation, managed to hold
kind of spiritual fog, call it apatheism—not atheism or agnosti- onto many Roman Catholic traditions while moving ahead into tra-
cism, just preoccupation with this-worldly child rearing and work. ditionally Protestant domains (emphasis on the authority of Scrip-
I developed my own music business, teaching piano, playing for ture, etc.). Out of this mix (and we believe by the guidance of the
weddings and for the San Diego Republican Party’s social gather- Holy Spirit) Anglicans have become the recipients of a powerful,
ings. In 1989 I became an adjunct professor in the Department of multi-faceted way to strengthen and live the Christian life. Living in
Humanities at National University where I mostly taught philoso- the wishy-washy middle, we have managed to offend equally both
phy and comparative religion. While at National I noticed some- sides. I have a Roman Catholic friend who loves to call me Roman
thing very interesting. Students often confronted me after a course Catholic lite. Why don’t you take the plunge and go all the way?
En La Frontera 11
with this question: “Are you a Christian?” That the question arose he impishly suggests. My Baptist friends are concerned that I don’t
was very disturbing to me because I’d always held to the nine- fully understand what it means to have “a personal relationship with

Chaplain provides jokes and

teenth-century liberal ideal that all topics—especially religious Jesus Christ” or that I truly haven’t “made a decision for Christ.”
ones—should be treated fairly and equally. Something beyond my The life-changing event for me came when I realized that

friendship to troops
control was popping out, and my response to the students who human beings need more than a personal relationship with Christ
raised the question—“I’d rather not talk about my personal reli- buttressed by the Scriptures to live a successful Christian life. One’s
gious beliefs”—seemed the only way I could maintain my illusion personal relationship with Christ is at the core of one’s faith, but,
of objectivity. honestly, this tends to get battered around by how we’re feeling at By SGT Ann Benson
None of my family had been attending church, but some- the time. We can point to the Scriptures as “objective” evidence for
Fr. Ryan Lozano of St. Edward the Confessor’s participation in Operation Lone Star of the Texas State Guard published in En La Frontera
time in this period we started attending—once again, The Church our salvation, but, honestly, there are dark nights of the soul when
of the Nazarene. After more than a decade without church, hearing even the Holy Scriptures don’t reach the pain. Not only do we need For State Guard Chaplain 1st Lt. Ryan Lozano, telling a “It is just one of the ways that I connect with the people
one of the old hymns moved me to tears. What can I say?—here a personal experience of Christ’s forgiveness and the rational aware- corny joke or two is one of the most enjoyable ways to see to around me. If I am in my office, I feel like I’m not doing my
were the same caring and loving people of my childhood. You’re ness of the efficacy of His grace provided by the Scriptures, we need
the spiritual needs of the Soldiers under his care. job” he explained.
probably asking: “What more can you demand out of a church?” a lot more. This is where the genius of the pre-Reformation Church
You’re probably thinking I’d fi- comes in. We need a vibrant, “It helps to break the ice One of the reasons Lozano
and sets them at ease. If a Sol- chose to participate in Opera-
nally found what I was looking
for. I hadn’t. We quietly slipped
“Rather than address the question “What was traditional liturgy that has a
place for the ministry of the dier was reticent to talk before tion Lone Star was because it
away from the church, but we missing from your former church experienc- Word (the reading of Scrip- that, they might be more like- gave him a chance to both
hadn’t given up on finding the
right one. We went on a church
es?” I’d like to put it this way: “By becoming tures, creed, prayers, and the
foolishness of preaching),
ly to come to me about their minister to his State Guard
problems after laughing at one troops as well as serve the
-hopping binge. I regretted what an Anglican, what was added?” and we need to delve very of my jokes,” said Lozano. people of his state.
my family and I had become, deeply into the mysteries of
Lozano, who has been an “Ministering to the spiri-
but we were desperately looking for the whatever-it-is. During this the faith through the quiet and prayerful reception of the Holy Eu-
period I sometimes joked when asked what church we attended: “ charist. The latter was for me what was missing: the deep hunger for Anglican Priest for approxi- tual needs of the people here
We attend the church that serves the best food at picnics and din- the quiet and eternal mysteries of my faith, a quiet time for receiving mately six months, joined the is different from ministering
ners.” the grace of Christ, not only on a rational level (preaching), but on a Texas State Guard a few weeks to the spiritual needs of the
Near our home a little start-up Anglican Church was meet- level we can’t begin to describe. That’s one of the reasons why these ago. people in my small parish (in
ing in a public school classroom. We attended, liked the people, are mysteries of the faith. “I feel like the new guy here Lockhart, Texas). I have an
the priest, and the liturgy. The rest, as they say, is history. In time In a nutshell that’s why I put the question not in terms of because most of the people I ongoing and active ministry
my old call to the ministry was reaffirmed. I became a deacon, then what was missing but what is added. I still love to hear good preach- see here have been coming for here. I am available day and
priest, following the polity of the Anglican Church. I now serve ing. I love rousing hymns that tell me of the grace and forgiveness of night in the event someone
many years now. They all treat
as the Rector of Christ Our Saviour Anglican Church in Alpine, Christ. I love to hear about the promises of eternal life and the testi- needs to talk to me,” said Lo-
me like I am one of the family
California. monies of healing and the miraculous deliverance from the bondage
though,” he said. zano.
Rather than address the question “What was missing of sin but, for me, these important things only reach me at one level.
from your former church experiences?” I’d like to put it this way: What of the quiet, gentle work of the Holy Spirit that mysteriously Lozano explained that as a Lozano believes that it takes
“By becoming an Anglican, what was added?” Forgive me for reaches us and works within us to help us become more like Christ? chaplain, he ministers to all a certain type of minister to
simplifying church history here, but the Anglican Church is the Within the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we discover that there Christians, but he also repre- become a chaplain because it
grandfather of the Church of the Nazarene; the father is the Meth- are depths of God’s grace that are unfathomable and mysterious. sents his own faith. His job requires them to be flexible
odist Church. If you’ve experienced these churches as I have, Unfortunately, the highlight of the Protestant worship ser- here is to look after the mor- to an ever-changing schedule
you find that there are strange connections and faint shadows of vice has become the sermon. I say unfortunately because, more than als, morale, and the well being and to have a willingness to
one found in the others. You may also think it strange when I tell any other part perhaps, it tempts us to focus on the cleverness of the Texas State Guard 1st Lt. Ryan Lozano, Chaplain for the listen with an open heart to
of the Soldiers. PSJA MIRTTS passes out religious pamphlets to those who
you that attending the Anglican Church was almost like returning preacher or the reasonableness of Christianity. Preaching is a vital the spiritual concerns of any-
“I am here to minister to the would listen to his jokes. (U.S. Air Force photo by SMSgt.
home. Is it an accident that the personal warmth of Anglican pa- part of worship, but it is not intended to be the centerpiece. Preaching Elizabeth Gilbert). one in need.
rishioners, their deep concern to keep the Church Christ-centered, is powerful, but it only satisfies a limited part of our spiritual hunger. spiritual needs of anyone who
their dedication to the Holy Scriptures, and countless other “shad- If we are to live the full Christian life that reaches the depths of our needs me,” he continued. “It is such an important
ows and connections” are also integral parts of the church of my spiritual longing, we must look to the mysteries of Christ’s presence mission that these Soldiers are participating in. The people
It is not unusual to see Lozano walking around his assigned
childhood? in the Holy Eucharist. I am thankful for our church that has had the here are very much dependent on the Soldiers and Operation
Medical Innovative Readiness Training Team Site (MIRTTS)
But there are significant differences too. How can I say wisdom and courage to preserve through its vibrant traditions the at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School talking to people and
Lone Star to help meet their medical needs,” concluded Lo-
what I’m about to say without it sounding like denominational many ways that our Christian lives may be strengthened. zano.
passing out candy in the afternoon to boost morale and pro-
rhetoric? The Protestant Reformation brought about many impor- In Christ, Fr. Carder
vide a much-needed sugar rush.
tant reforms within the Church, but it tossed out many things that
18
The Ecumenical Congress of the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite and Timothy Plan present
Biblical Stewardship Seminar
St. James Anglican Church, Kansas City. Contact Holly Michael for details and registration.
koinonia@holycatholicanglican.org

Stewardship is an issue that is still foreign to many, but once applied to every day living, can change your entire outlook on life. Biblical Steward-
ship is taking the main points of being a steward, and applying them with a perspective according to God’s word.

We as a nation have become selfish and spend more than we make or can afford, and we have forgotten the words of Jesus, “…store up for your-
selves treasures in heaven…” [Mat 6:20], and have settled for financing our own little kingdom.

Publication of the Anglican Province of the

Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite
St. James Anglican Church
8107 S. Holmes Road Kansas City, MO 64131